Ohio cares for her
defenders, and one instance is the fine Memorial Hall erected on
East Court street, at Washington C. H. A few years ago the
matter of erecting a soldiers' monument in this city was
discussed by the county authorities, but finally it was decided
to spend the money in erecting a structure in which the
remaining Civil-war veterans, the Sons of Veterans, and the
auxiliary Relief Corps might have a comfortable resting place
and assembly home in their declining years. Monuments are
good to show the true spirit of a county, but much more so is
the building of such a hall, for it is more useful and
practical, both today and in the future. This property,
which was erected by Fayette county, is the second and third
stories of a beautiful, modern brick block. The first
floor occupied by the soldiers is divided into a large front
room, used for a "rest room" for soldiers of any American wars.
It fronts the street, is well lighted and the whole building is
hearted by steam, at a cost of four hundred dollars per year.
The room just named has easy chairs and lounging places, free to
all, and its walls are artistically decorated with military
pictures, including an heroic portrait in oil of Gen. Phil
Sheridan. This was donated by Charles Allen, of the city.
Then there are shelves and cases in which quite a military
library is kept for public use.
On the same floor is the spacious Grand Army room,
which is well furnished, being one of the best in Ohio. At
the rear of the building (on this floor) is one of the largest
halls in the state. IT is really the "Memorial Hall"
itself, for here one finds on either of the four walls pure
white Italian marble tablets, set permanently in the walls, and
these number in all forty-one, and cost (duty taken off by
Congress) laid down by the contractors, one hundred and
twenty-one dollars each, making almost five thousand dollars for
all. On these tablets are inscribed the names, regiment
and company of 2,662 Fayette county soldiers. This hall is
about sixty-by eighty-five feet, with self-supporting ceilings.
It is seated with six hundred opera chairs. This is the
meeting place for all military gatherings, including the
memorial and decoration services. The boys who "wore the
loyal blue" meet here, march to the cemetery and, after
decorating their comrades' graves, return and are served with a
dinner by the Relief Corps ladies. This occurs with each
annual return of this sacred day.
Going to the third story of the structure (second of
the soldiers' rooms), one finds a hall sixty-five by eighty-five
feet, with a splendid hardwood floor, designed, originally, for
the drill service of the National Gaurd. Here the men
generally gather for any public purpose which comes up in the
county. Here, also, the Relief Corps assemble and do their
work, including cooking and serving meals. All in all,
this memorial is superior to almost any in the country, and is
duly appreciated by the old soldiers and those of the
Spanish-American war as well. The Sons of the Veterans
have the use of the Grand Army hall and are very strong in
Washington C. H. and Fayette county, generally, as is also the
Woman's Circle.
When the marble tablets were ordered, it was intended
by the committee to use a few for the surviving Confederate
soldiers who were then residents of this county, but a better
judgment prevailed and they are to contain the names of county
officers. In fact, the Confederates themselves did not
care to advertise themselves as having fought in the "Lost
Cause."
The following are the inscriptions on these memorial
tablets: